Sleeve stretcher or the like



Nov. 23, 194s. M. LOPEZ g 2,454,395

SLEEVE sTRETcHER 0R THE LIKE Filed Aug; 25. 1947 INVEN TOR. MHA/UE L L DPE Z l BY-@Ma/'MMM Patented Nov. 23, 1948 ED' STAT EIS ENT OF FICE 2,454,395- f SLEEVE STRETCHEROR'THE LIKE Manuel Lopez, Akron; Ohio V-Application August 25, 19437,` Serial-'Na` '170,473

l This invention relates to mechanism for stretchingor forming 'dress'and coatsleeves, and the like. and, more particularly, is concerned with stretching apparatus which can be inserd inside of a sleeve and expanded to properlyL hold or shape a" sleeve during a cleaning, dressmaking, or other similar operation. Heretofore, sleeve Astretchers have been provided, .but the'known stretchers are'open tovarious objections. For example, one type'of sleeve stretcher is too complicated and expensive. Other known sleeve stretchers-do notdo a good stretching job the full length of a sleeve.y Other sleeve stretchers are not readily expanded or collapsed to facilitate entry orremoval of the stretcher with respect to a sleeve. I

It is the general object of my invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficultiesof and objections to known 'sleeve stretchers by the provision of an improved,` relatively inexpensive, lightweight, easily operated, and long lived stretcher for sleeves and thelike.

Anotherobject of my invention'is to provide a sleeve stretcher, or the like, which can be readily collapsed or expanded, and when in expanded 3 position is quickly and'resiliently locked to apply a continuing tension on a sleeve.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an inexpensive, substantially fool-proof, and readily handled lcckingmechanism for holding a sleeve stretcher inexpanded position.

The foregoing objects of my invention, and other objectswhich will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by a'mechanism including a bar, a bell crank pivotally` securedzto lthefbar adjacent one end, a second-bar pivotally secured near its center'to 'one end of the bell kcrank and movable toward and from the rst barupon movement or the bell crank; a locking means on the end of the first bar, and a vflexible cord? extendingv from 1 thev other end Aof the' bell crank through the lockingmeans. Thebell crank isfusually resilientso as V to apply a tension' upon af sleeve'or'thelikebeingfstretched, and the`lock ing'means usually include a pivotally mounted jaw engaging in' wedging relation with thecord.

Fora better understanding of my invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.` 1 is an elevational View of the'side of a If i stretcher illustrated in Fig. 1;

E'i`gy3isv a transverse Vertical cross-sectionalc thevend ofthe cord 40.' that .the cord i 401' will be' released `from, the clip 1421onlywhen'itisinecessaryto replace afworn cord 2, view', on an'lenlarged scale, and takensubstan'- tiaiiynn une III- III of Fig. 1; Y Fig; 4 is `a longitudinal cross-sectional l view in' fragmentaryform', and on the scaleof'FigJlS, taken substantially `on line IV-IV of Fig. 2j

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but taken substantially on line V-V of Fig. 2; andv Fig. 6 is a longitudinal verticalcros's-sectional view, onthefs'cale` of Fig. B, taken onsubstantially line VI-VI of Fig.' Zand illustrating details ofthe locking mechanism.

In the drawings, the` numeral IIJ" indicates a bar of elongated form, and usually curving in its length to rbetter conform to the shape' of asleeve to "be stretched, thesleeve being indicated in chain dotted lines by the numeral I2'. Asso- "ciated tvith the bar I0 is asecond -bar I 4'of similar shape to the first bar' II), but with the bar I4 being-usually madel somewhatshorter in length than thebar I Il'.`

Thebars `IIl and I4 are mounted for movement toward and from each other in substantially parallel relationship, and this is achieved in the form' of my (inventionvillustrated by providing a resilient bell crank` I6 having a relatively short 'arm I8" and a longer arm 2U. The end of the a loonportion '.'lZWhich-extends down into an arcuate groove 34 formed in the bar I0 a-short Vdistafnce'from lone end thereof. Theloop portion 13-2of the "bellicrank surrounds a roller1 36carried upon a-fpinor rivet 38 to provide a pivotal supportHiI for the bell crank on the' bar I0, .the rivet or pin 38 extending from side to side through the bar' `I il in the manner illustrated.

"The's-hortarm I 8 of the bell crank'l BXhas acord 40-f`or other flexible `element securedthereto', and this `vis conveniently accomplished by means of a f cl'ip242'Iwhichisrremovably fastenedV tothe end' `of 'the arm I8,` the: clip 421 havingfavwedge shaped ferrule and clampingteeth forreleas'ably gripping It will be" understood with a new one after the continuous use of the stretching apparatus over long periods of time.

The end of the bar IIJ adjacent the short arm I8 of the bell crank I6 is formed with a recess 44 therein, a hole 46 connecting the recess 44 with the edge of the bar I0, and with the cord 40 extending through the hole 46 and recess 44 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawing. Received Within the recess 44 is a jaw 48 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 58 extending through the bar, the jaw 48 being adapted to be moved from the non-locking position shown in full lines into locking relation with the cord 4|] as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. 6. When in locking relation with the cord 40,\it will be evident that a downward pull on the cord 40 causes the jaw 48 to wedge the cord 40 tightly against the Wall of the recess. The jaw 48 usually has small teeth formed on a lip portion 52 Which assist in the locking action. Also, it is to be noted that the jaw 48 has the lip portion 52v extending substantially out of the recess 44 when the jaw is in nonlocking position, and when in this position, the cord can be tilted to engage with the lip portion of the jaw so as to eifect the locking action of the jaw when pull is exerted on the cord in the opposite or downward direction in Fig. 6.

A cover plate 54 is. secured over .the top of the recess44, the cover plate having a suitable opening, usually substantially square, to permit the movement of the cord and the lip portion of the jaw therethrough.

In the operation of the improved stretching mechanism just described, the bars Ill and I4 are first moved from the full line position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing to the collapsed position shown in chain dotted lines in Fig. 1. Thereupon, the end of the bars most distant from the bell crank I6 are inserted either into the cuff lor shoulder end of the sleeve. Actually, it does not make very much difference which, although in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. l `the stretching mechanism has been inserted into the sleeve from the cuff end thereof. Thereupon, the bars Itl and I4 are moved apart and this is achieved by pulling on the cord 4I) by way of the knob 56. For example, movement of the knob 56 from the dotted to the full line position shown in Fig. l will cause the bars I8 and I4 to move from the dotted to the full line position to expand the sleeve. The pivotal connection 22 between the arm Il and the bar I4 allows the bar I4 to adjust itself to the width of the sleeve so that pressure will be applied by the bar to the sleeve over substantially the full length of the sleeve. It sometimes helps in applying the expanding force tothe mechanism to have the operator grip the short arm I8 of the bell crank to squeeze it towards the bar I0. The bell crank is made of good quality spring steel, usually in the form of a round steel rod, so that any amount to which the bell crank is stressed will be imparted continuously to the sleeve-in the stretching operation.

With the bars I and I4 in expanded position in the manner just described, the cord 40 is locked by the jaw 48 to hold the sleeve in a stretched, flat position so that cleaning operations, pressing operations, and the like, on the sleeve are facilitated, all without shrinkage onv the sleeve. To release the locking mechanism all that is necessary is to pull on the knob 56 to release the lip 52 ofthe jaw 48 from the cord, and with the .'jaw 48 tipped or held out Iof the way the cord other garments.

4 will slide back to allow the bars IIJ and I4 to be moved to the collapsed position.

The bars I0 and I4 are preferably made from a light weight, clean, and strong wood, but it may be possible to make the bars from metal or plastic.

From the foregoing, it Will be recognized that the various objects of my invention have been achieved by the provision of a readily operated, light Weight, long wearing sleeve stretching device Which facilitates cleaning, pressing and similar operations upon sleeves of dresses, coats, and If the bars ID and I4 are made substantially straight and with sharper edges, it will be seen that the mechanism of my invention can be used to stretch pant legs.

While in accord with the patent statutes, one best known embodiment of my invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that I am not to be limited thereto or thereby, but that the scope of my invention is dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for stretching and forming garment sleeves including a pair of relatively thin bars of slightly different length, the `bars being curved longitudinally to substantially conform to the contour of a sleeve, a spring wire rod, means pivotally securing the rod at one end to approximately the center of the shorter bar, said meansincluding an eye on the end of the rod, a roller inside the eye, and a pin secured to the bar and rotatably supporting the roller, the rodbeing bent to have an angularly offset end at .the end remote from its pivotal connection to the shorter bar, means pivotally connecting the rod in the region of its bend to the longer bar a short distance from the end of the longer bar, said means including an eye on the rod, a roller inside the eye, and a pin secured to the bar and rotatably supporting the roller, a flexible element connected to the end of the angularly olset end of the rod, a releasable locking mechanism on the end of the longer bar and through which the flexible element extends, and a knob on the end of the flexible element, said locking mechanism including a pivotally mounted jaw adapted to have wedging locking action on the flexible element.

2. A sleeve stretcher or the like including a pair of elongate members, means mounting the members for movement towards and from each other in substantially parallel relation, means pivotally mounting at least one member near its center so that the members will adjust themselves to engage opposite portions along the inside of a sleeve or the like, and means resiliently locking the members in expanded position, said means including a resilient bell crank, a cord secured toan end of the bell crank, one of the members having a hole therein through which the cord extends, va jaw pivotally1 mounted inside the hole and upon atmpted movement of the cord in one direction, adapted to wedge the cord against the wall of the hole, the unpivoted end of the jaw extending out of the hole when in nonlocking position so that the cord can be engaged with it to effect the locking of the jaw on the cord.

3. Apparatus for stretching and forming garment sleeves including a pair of relatively thin bars of slightly diierent length, the bars being curved longitudinally to substantially conform to the contour of a sleeve, a spring wire rod, means pivotally securing the rod at one end to approximately the center lof the shorter bar, said means including an eyeon the end of the rod, a, roller inside the eye, and a pin secured to the bar and rotatably supporting the roller, the rod being bent to have an angularly offset end at the end remote from its pivotal connection to the shorter bar, means piv'otally connecting the rod in the region of its bend to the longer bar a short distance from the end of the longer bar, said means including an eye on the rod, -a roller inside the eye, and a pin secured to the bar and rotatably supporting the roller, a flexible element connected to the end of the angularly yoffset end ofthe rod, and a locking mechanism on the end of the The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Number Name Date 2,039,596 Jackson May 5, 1936 2,206,605 Greco et a1. July 2, 1940 2,423,521 Selby July 8, 1947 

